Extensively updated, the new edition reflects the increasing sophistication of reptile medicine and surgery and acknowledges the expanding range of reptile species kept as companion animals.
Part one covers the husbandry aspects of reptile care, including captive maintenance and nutrition, plus a new chapter dedicated to anatomy and physiology.
Part two contains the details necessary to carry out successful clinical examination, anaesthesia, surgery (including endoscopy), treatment (including emergency and critical care), non-invasive imaging, laboratory testing and post-mortem examinations, as well as humane euthanasia.
Part three addresses disease by organ system, covering parasitology and infectious disease.
New to this third edition are also chapters on marine turtle rehabilitation and crocodilians, as well as updates on the handling of venomous reptiles.
Simon Girling said: "This third edition of the BSAVA Manual of Reptiles is another milestone in the commitment of the BSAVA to exotic species medicine. Reptile medicine and surgery is now being accepted as a mainstream discipline within the veterinary world, reflected in the growing number of textbooks and the appearance of postgraduate qualifications."
BSAVA says the new manual will benefit both the general practitioner seeing a small number of reptiles or a more specialist practitioner dealing with these species on a daily basis.
The company says its service has been designed to help practices take a proactive approach to managing their workforce, keeping them out of the employment tribunal and providing continued support to help them achieve their goals.
Melanie Davies, Head of Employment at MS Rubric (pictured right) said: "Whether a business employs 5 people or 500, is a start-up, or has been successfully trading for years, it is critical that it has a reliable legal advisory system in place to manage the range of challenges that arise.
"All businesses need to be able to access a professional source of advice and guidance to meet their objectives for best practice, compliance or to meet commercial goals and targets.
"With legislation changing so frequently, this legal expertise is sometimes missing from some businesses. As business owners realise its importance, they are relying more on external HR and legal experts like ourselves to provide this service. We think it’s so important, we are making this available to all sectors of business.”
MS Rubric adds that all its advice is covered by legal professional privilege. This means that unlike when businesses use HR or other consultancies, conversations between MS Rubric and its clients remain confidential and disclosure is not required.
For more information, contact Melanie Davies on 01454 800008 or mel.davies@msrubric.co.uk.
Adrienne Conroy, Head of BSAVA Policy and Chair of the Big Issues stream said: "As a profession, we have a history of successfully dealing with the unpredictable and rising to the challenge of the unexpected, which in many ways have been the hallmarks of the past year or so and no doubt will likely continue to be so for the foreseeable future.
"This year’s Big Issues stream will look at some of the uncertainties encountered by vets in practice and how resilience and resolve in the face of challenge can continue to serve the profession well for the future."
Big Issue subjects include:
The ABC of Achievements, Brexit and ChallengesProfessor the Lord Trees will aim to support vets’ understanding of the rationale underpinning the Government's Brexit decisions and their impact on the profession. A panel of speakers will also look at how the Government and the profession has worked collaboratively to introduce legislation and policies across a range of areas affecting the companion animal sector, and the practical implications for veterinary surgeons.
Medicines: Ensuring Supply Despite CrisesProfessor Peter Borriello, CEO of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and Dawn Howard CEO of the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH) will explore the unpredictable challenges, whether dependent on Brexit or other factors, that can potentially threaten the supply of medicines vital to companion animal veterinary practices and how these unexpected events can be tackled and resolved by working together.
The Perils of Passports and Certification: Avoiding LitigationBSAVA President Philip Lhermette, together with Dr Mauricio Lopez, Head of Veterinary Trade Facilitation, Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and Michael Stanford, Veterinary Claims Consultant, Veterinary Defence Society (VDS) will share for the first time the results of the BSAVA 2018 OV survey, and will endeavour to better equip and support vets in companion animal practice to manage the unpredictable aspects of pet passports and export certification.
Telemedicine: Patient Care in the Digital WorldDr Kate Richards, Chair of the RCVS Standards Committee, Dr Thom Jenkins, CEO of Gula, Richard Guest, CEO of telemedicine consultancy Morgan Frey and Simon Doherty, President of the BVA aim to help delegates navigate relatively the unchartered territory of telemedicine and make informed decisions on the future of telemedicine and its potential impact on not just them, but also their clients.
More information on the Big Issues agenda and speakers here.
The surgery was carried out in August 2018 and is, they say, the first time it has been performed on a companion animal anywhere in the world. The dog, a five-year old spaniel called Gigha, has now made a full recovery.
Gigha’s surgery was carried out by Dr Guy Killick and featured in a recent episode of The Yorkshire Vet. Guy said: "Gigha provides vital companionship to her owner, Mrs Taylor. She fell into a drainage ditch last summer and this caused a tiny cut on her elbow.
"The initial wound did not seem severe, however, despite intensive decontamination and treatment with broad spectrum antibiotics, the wound proved to have been infected with a resistant Haemolytic E. coli infection, causing a significant loss of skin from the medial aspect of the elbow. During this time, Gigha was hospitalised and was at significant risk of DIC and septicaemia."
"The skin loss was full thickness and, once the compromised tissue was debrided away, she was left with a large wound.
"We managed the wound in hospital for four days with daily dressing changes and an irrigation device to provide local anaesthesia and the delivery of topical antibiotics.
"Unfortunately, skin grafting in her case was not suitable given the infection and a lack of sufficient loose skin to donate. As such, we elected for healing by second intention but, given the large area, we felt it was important to explore novel methods to accelerate the healing process and reduce Gigha’s pain.
"Surgery using Tilapia fish skin grafts was pioneered at UC Davis in the USA and was used successfully on a horse with acid burns in the UK last year. It is still very rare, however, and had not been used to treat an infected wound before. Nor had it been used on a dog.
"Having done our research though and finding that these grafts have a natural anti-infective and analgesic effect, while also reducing the frequency of bandage changes that would cause discomfort and distress to the patient, we felt it was an appropriate treatment for Gigha and carried out the surgery a week after the initial wound."
Guy says the surgery was straightforward and simply involved tacking the skin in place. It adhered to the developing granulation bed, accelerating its growth and providing an antiseptic and analgesic effect. After application, Gigha’s owner reported that she was much brighter and seemed to be in less pain. Pain-scoring during check-ups confirmed this to be the case despite pain relief being voluntarily withdrawn by the owner.
This initial graft stayed in place for two weeks before breaking down and being removed. By this stage, granulation of the wound had been completed and around one cm of neo-epithelisation had occurred. A further graft was then placed which remained for a further two weeks until the wound was 50% of its initial size. No further grafts were placed as the team did not have access to further supplies so they simply bandaged the wound with traditional bandages. It was completely healed within nine weeks. Eight months on, Gigha has made a full recovery and the wound has healed completely.
Guy said: "Given the large wound area and risk of further infection we decided on this novel approach to improve the quality of life for the patient while the wound was healing. While we were naturally apprehensive of making the first attempt at this potentially revolutionary technique, what we knew about fish skin grafts and suggested that they could work in her case so we were determined to give it a try.
"Looking at her now, you wouldn’t believe that she’d been days from death just a few months ago. Her case is a demonstration of the efficacy of fish skin grafts as a treatment for large wounds where there are no other suitable methods of closure – and for their use in dogs. We hope her story and her recovery will be useful to colleagues treating dogs with similar wounds in the future and are happy to discuss the case with them if this would be helpful.
"I would also like to thank Dr Jamie Peyton, Chief of Integrative Medicine Service at UC Davis for her invaluable help and advice during this case and her assistance in the use of the Tilapia graft."
Richard, who works at North Downs Specialist Referrals (NDSR), graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2003.
While working in general practice, he developed an interest in ophthalmology and undertook an internship in the field at the Animal Health Trust in 2013.
Richard said: "Watching cataract surgery for the first time as a student, I was amazed it could be performed through such tiny incisions and an artificial lens could be placed inside the eye.
"My grandmother had cataract surgery around this time, followed later by corneal transplants when I was a recently qualified vet, and this further sparked my interest.
"I was very fortunate during my time in general practice to be able to attend an excellent one-year modular course, with an inspiring teacher, and also to spend some time with two specialist ophthalmologists at NDSR.
"These experiences made me realise it was time to make the leap and try to become a specialist. It was quite a daunting step, but one I’ve never regretted."
Following his internship, Richard undertook a three-year specialist training programme in comparative ophthalmology at the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, studying towards the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmology Diploma.
After the successful completion of his training, he remained at the RVC as a clinician for a further year before joining the team at NDSR in July 2018.
Richard says he is now looking forward to further developing ophthalmology services at NDSR, alongside RCVS and American specialist James Histed: "I have already been discussing with James how we can develop the ophthalmology service, with new equipment and treatment options.
"We will soon be taking delivery of a new Zeiss operating microscope, which will have video facilities and eyepieces for an assistant. This will help us to perform more complex surgical procedures, and also help in teaching our interns and visitors to NDSR."
For more information, visit www.ndsr.co.uk.
Vetnapp offers a secure alternative to traditional paper records, allowing for the entry of drugs administered, recording of physiological parameters (for example, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure), and recording complications occurring during an anaesthetic.
The final anaesthetic chart can be converted to a PDF and attached to patient records, simplifying the paper trail.
Alastair, who works at Willows Referrals, says his motivation for developing the app was born out of frustration with handwritten anaesthetic records which can often be incomplete, illegible and easily lost.
Alastair said: "Vetnapp is excellent for ease of data entry via the use of sliders and drop-down lists. It also stores records, allowing easy retrieval, which is not possible with paper records.
"Now the app is available for both Apple and Android devices, it is much more accessible. I have even had people downloading it in Australia, America and China, which is fantastic."
"It’s still very much early days and I hope its popularity grows over time. Ideally, I would like it to be downloaded by veterinary groups, as well as independent practices."
To download Vetnapp, visit the App Store or Google Play and search 'Vetnapp'.
According to head veterinary surgeon Simon Maddock, about one third of the practice's workload is now for guinea pigs – a figure growing year by year. More to the point, many of their clients are travelling a considerable distance to get veterinary care.
Simon said: "We certainly didn’t start out to become so popular with guinea pig owners; it’s happened more by word of mouth. Our reputation has grown mainly through owners talking to each other on online forums.
"I reckon we must see at least one guinea pig a day that has travelled more than 50 miles to see us. One couple regularly make a 175-mile round trip from North Wales. We even have someone visit us from Scotland. That’s one long trip to make!"
Simon added: “Although the practice was originally established to provide dedicated cat and rabbit owners with veterinary care specifically tailored to these pets, we have also found guinea pig owners to be just as committed to their pets and they are quick to look for signs of illness."
The competition is open to all UK-based undergraduate veterinary students and offers them the opportunity to work as a team to brainstorm, develop and present an innovative idea to a board of industry professionals.
Students can enter either as a single applicant or as a group (of roughly five members), with single applicants then being placed in a group with other applicants from their university. There can be more than one team representing each university.
Each student’s project can cover any aspect of veterinary health innovation. The RCVS suggests potential projects might include: innovations within veterinary education, innovations to improve sanitation and hygiene, innovations to improve veterinary-public communication and innovations to improve patient safety.
Entries must show how they have improved upon – or extended beyond – current expectations of best practice in their chosen area.
Each applicant will receive support from one of the Association of Veterinary Students’ (AVS) Vet Futures Ambassadors, as well as a mentor session with a chosen industry professional to guide them on their project.
Teams will need to submit three components for judging: a log of their progress throughout the project (which can include social media updates using the hashtag #ViVetStudentInnovation), mentor engagement and feedback, and a five-minute video ‘business pitch’.
The three finalist groups of the competition will be invited to present their pitch to a board of industry professionals at a ‘Dragon’s Den’ style event held at the RCVS ViVet 2019 Innovation Symposium on Tuesday 1 October 2019 in Manchester.
The winning and runner-up groups will then be selected and will be presented alongside the ‘mentor’s choice’ award. The Mentor’s Choice award will be selected by the team mentors. The prize will be awarded to an individual who shows excellence and enthusiasm within their work on the project.
Anthony Roberts, RCVS Director of Leadership & Innovation (pictured right), said: "This competition provides a great opportunity for veterinary students to engage with their fellow classmates across different fields of study and to work on projects that could genuinely make a difference to animal health and welfare and the way veterinary services are delivered. Teams will receive one-on-one mentoring and will be guided through the innovation process, developing skills that will be useful throughout their careers. We look forward to seeing the three finalist teams presenting at the RCVS ViVet Innovation Symposium in Manchester on 1 October."
Zoe Skinner, Vet Futures Student Representatives Team Leader, said: “This competition is a great opportunity for veterinary students to receive mentoring from experienced veterinary professionals and form contacts within our profession. It gives students a way to work together as a team and allows them to learn how to produce and develop innovative, problem-solving concepts as well as skills in delivering presentations. These are all important aspects of our career ahead, which will look brilliant on our CV’s.”
ViVet is now accepting registrations for the competition for the 2018/19 academic year. To enter, applicants must submit an online registration form. For further information, email info@vivet.org.uk.
The symposium, which will be held on Tuesday 24 September 2019, at Church House in London, will bring together researchers interested in all aspects of veterinary professionals’ wellbeing and mental health. It will feature plenary speakers from mental health research, including:
Professor Neil Greenberg: Sustaining resilience at work – what does the evidence tell us works?, Professor of Defence Mental Health, Consultant Academic Psychiatrist at King’s College London, Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ (RCP) Special Interest Group in Occupational Psychiatry.
Professor Alexandra Pitman: The impact of veterinarian suicide on colleagues, Associate Professor in Psychiatry in the UCL Division of Psychiatry and an Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist at Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust.
Professor Stuart Reid: The Mind Matters Initiative – what we’ve achieved so far, Principal, Royal Veterinary College, Chair of the Mind Matters Initiative.
Presentations should be in the format of a 15-minute oral presentation or an A1 poster.
Those wishing to apply should submit an abstract clearly marked ‘poster’ or ‘oral presentation’. The title should be 15 words or fewer. The abstract should include author(s) first name(s), followed by surname(s), institution of affiliation and country. The body of the text should be no longer than 250 words and include: background; clear and explicit aims and objectives, hypotheses or research questions; methods; results; discussion; and conclusion.
All abstracts should be submitted as Word documents to Rosie Allister on rosie.allister@gmail.com no later than 23:59 (GMT) on Friday 19 April 2019.
Applicants will be notified if they have been successful within 14 days of this date. Speakers whose applications are successful will receive complimentary registration for the symposium, not including travel and accommodations costs.
A small number of travel bursaries are available for students, people with lived experience of mental health problems, and people who are unwaged, who would not otherwise be able to attend. For further details, please contact Lisa Quigley, Mind Matters Initiative Manager, on l.quigley@rcvs.org.uk.
Forte highlights that Utertab's intrauterine administration allows it to act directly in the target tissue. It is presented in a perforated blister pack for better sealing.
Dr John Henderson, Large Animal Product Manager at Forte Healthcare Ltd said: "Given the need to use appropriate first-line antibacterial drugs where possible we are delighted to bring vets a new Tetracycline pessary, ‘Utertab’, for the treatment of metritis and retained foetal membranes.
"In-situ therapy for these conditions has more recently been neglected in favour of injectables but still has much to recommend it. We look forward to highlighting these benefits over the next few months."
For further information on Utertab 2000mg, contact your local Forte Territory Manager or enquiries@fortehealthcare.com.
The new website explains what Veterinary Specialists are, how they may be able to help, and how the referral process works. The BCVSp says it has been designed to be a useful resource which primary practices can direct their clients to if a referral is being considered.
As well as being able to search for a Specialist by location and by discipline, owners can also read some real life patient case studies following the referral, treatment journeys and outcomes of animals that have benefited from Specialist care and meet some of the Specialists via podcast links.
BCVSp Trustee Celia Marr said: "While most happy healthy animals will never need Specialist veterinary care, if they do we want their owners to know that we are here to help.
"There are many hundreds of Specialists working at the forefront of veterinary care and also those working in research, pathology and academia, helping to advance animal health and welfare, every day. We believe our new website should help to spread the word and make referral more understandable and accessible."
Visit the new website at www.yourvetspecialist.org
Developed by Italian tech company, Otech Industry srl, the Onemytis 2 uniquely uses gas ionisation to vaporise tissue at lower temperatures and, claims Excel, with greater precision than is possible with conventional electrosurgery.
The knife works by a strong electromagnetic field through air. This releases plasma which vaporises tissue at a maximum operating temperature of 50°C (compared to more than 118°C in conventional electrosurgery).
During surgery, the electrode does not touch the patient. Plasma is formed when it is between 1 and 2 mm away from the patient, depending on the power setting. This means the surgeon does not apply any pressure when creating an incision, allowing greater precision.
The Onemytis range starts from £4500 +VAT.
West Sussex first opinion vet, Julian Hoad, Head of Crossways Veterinary Group, started using Onemytis last year for a range or procedures including laparoscopic surgery and the removal of masses, often without the need for a general anaesthetic.
Julian said: "I’ve used electrosurgery for 20 years and this is an order of magnitude better. It is more precise, more reliable and results in a much better healing surface."
"I recently removed an enlarged lymph node. The mass was around the mesenteric root. Because Onemytis is so precise I was able to dissect around the blood vessels, removing tissue that was attached to them with no blood loss. Onemytis is also excellent for removing epulides. It cuts though gingival tissue with very limited burning and produces very good, pain-free healing."
"I now routinely use it for performing nostril widening surgery in brachycephalic dogs; it reduces surgery time dramatically and completely abolishes bleeding in most cases."
"I have also used it to remove a large mass from a dog’s spleen and, by using a combination of Onemytis and Ligasure, managed to do so with a total blood loss of less than 2 ml."
Steve Hayden, Director at Excel Lasers, said: “We are delighted to be bringing Onemytis 2 to the UK. An important part of our role is to identify the technological innovations we think are most likely to help vets and their patients and Onemytis really stands out. The feedback we have had from our clients has been extremely positive and we think it has a fantastic future in veterinary surgery.”
To find out more about Onemytis 2 and watch videos of it in action, visit: https://www.excellasers.com/airplasma/
Carried out by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), the Animal Health Trust (AHT) and Rossdales Equine Hospital, the study also revealed that the groups particularly at risk were native pony breeds and their crosses, as well as horses and ponies with a history of laminitis and those with lameness or soreness after routine hoof care.
This research, funded by World Horse Welfare, comes from the first ever online study that collected information on laminitis from a group of owners in real time.
The researchers say that the study is also the second largest to identify weight gain as a risk factor for laminitis. Data was collected from the owners of 1,070 horses and ponies in Great Britain, who reported their animal’s management, health and estimated weight via online questionnaires for 29 months.
Owners were encouraged to use a custom weight tracking tool designed by the study/research team to help regularly track changes in their animal’s weight and body condition. The uptake of this tool was high, with over half of participating owners using it.
The tool is freely available at: www.aht.org.uk/research/lameness/laminitis.
Other study findings included:
A high risk of laminitis was present in horses shod or trimmed at intervals of more than 8 weeks, and in those that took a long time to return to soundness after a bout of laminitis.
Diet, grazing management and health were factors closely associated with the development of laminitis and will be the subject of future investigation.
Researchers also noted that weight gain often occurred unintentionally, even when owners were aiming for their animals to maintain or lose it. This reiterates the need to consistently record weight and body condition in order to prevent undesirable weight gain.
Dr. Dee Pollard of the AHT, one of the study’s chief authors, said: "This is one of the largest, and the first, online laminitis studies where we collected regular information from the same group of owners in real-time. We assessed the relationship between laminitis and many potential management and health factors and identified those more likely to be present before a laminitis episode was reported.
"We now have good evidence to develop laminitis prevention guidelines, and a number of different avenues to explore in the future. We cannot emphasise enough how important systematic and regular weight and body condition monitoring are. It’s very easy to miss weight gain when you are just relying on your eyes and you see your horse or pony every day. You need to get hands on, feel for the fat deposits and take measurements, remember the figures don’t lie!"
Reference
Revozyn RTU, which contains 400 mg/ml Penethamate hydriodide, is the first ready-to-use injectable narrow spectrum Penethamate on the UK market. It can also be used to treat relapses of old infections.
Dechra says that the intramuscular injection works by diffusing through the blood vessels and accumulating in the udder tissue and milk, treating the whole udder effectively. Apparently the new formulation also features an ion trapping mechanism that results in high Benzylpenicillin concentration in milk and udder tissue.
Revozyn RTU comes in a 50ml multi dose vial. It has a 28-day shelf life after first use and has withdrawal periods of four days for milk and 10 days for meat and offal.
Dechra Brand Manager Emma Jennings said: "The treatment and control of mastitis is one of the largest costs to any dairy farmer. It affects productivity and cow welfare and we are delighted to be able to introduce this revolutionary product.
"Revozyn RTU can change the way that clinical and subclinical mastitis in dairy cattle is treated. Its narrow spectrum of activity means that the risk of antibiotic resistance is reduced and there is no need for additional animal handling, thereby saving time and protecting user safety.
“The flexible dosing of Revozyn RTU and 28-day shelf life also make it a cost effective option for farmers".
For more information, visit www.dechra.co.uk.
Burgess reminds everyone that RVHD2 is a highly infectious strain of RVHD with few or no visible symptoms. It is fatal and can kill within hours. RVHD2 poses a significant threat to Britain’s rabbit population and outbreaks have been reported all over the UK and Ireland meaning no area is safe.
According to the company, the most recent sales figures show that only 137,405 RVHD2 vaccinations have been distributed in the last year1. This, says the company, shows a concerning number of practices are still not stocking the necessary vaccines to protect rabbits against RVHD2 and other fatal diseases.
Rabbits who have received the combined vaccination for RVHD and myxomatosis need a separate vaccination for RVHD2.
BSAVA President Sue Paterson said: "The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) supports the Rabbit Awareness Week 'Protect and Prevent' approach to saving the lives of rabbits in the UK. The BSAVA urges all rabbit owners to get their rabbits vaccinated against this disease and encourages all practices to remind their clients of the importance of doing this."
Richard Saunders BVSc DZooMed MRCVS said: "It's important for vets to be aware of the importance of vaccinating rabbits against all 3 viral diseases: Myxomatosis, RVHD1 and RVHD2.
"We certainly don't want rabbits to go without their annual myxomatosis vaccine: this horrible disease is very much still around. RVHD1 appears to have been overtaken by the new variant, RVHD2, but should still be vaccinated against.
"RVHD2 is a recent strain of the RVHD virus, which the Nobivac Myxo-RHD vaccine does not cover, and it is, quite literally, everywhere. Transported by inanimate objects as well as animals, it can affect both indoor and outdoor rabbits anywhere in the UK.
"If you wait until you see the first case in your area before recommending vaccination, rabbits will die, when this could be avoided.
"Remember that rabbit owners are much more likely to bury their dead pets at home than cat and especially dog owners, who generally bring their pets to a vet for cremation, and so we, as a profession, are under-aware of the incidence of the disease out there.
"RVHD2 is a core vaccination requirement, being endemic in the UK. Additionally, it’s not just a fatal disease, it’s a fatal disease with a reservoir in the wild. We strongly recommend vaccination of rabbits with either Filavac or Eravac in addition to Nobivac Myxo-RHD."
For more information on this year’s campaign and to request your RAW veterinary pack with marketing materials and free samples, visit www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk
Till then, veterinary surgeons are advised to make due diligent attempts to source a UK-authorised product before considering importing an alternative medicine.
Procaine hydrochloride is used in farm animal medicine in particular, to provide local and regional anaesthesia for a range of procedures including calving, lambing, caesarean operations, castration and dehorning of cattle, with demand particularly high in the spring.
Simon Doherty, BVA President, said: "We’re pleased that VMD has issued some clarification to answer our concerns over procaine hydrochloride shortages. BVA had heard from some veterinary practices that they were only able to get hold of a fraction of what they needed, which would have resulted in a very acute impact on farm animal welfare. Although we had moved to get assurances sooner, we appreciate that there are formal routes for reporting and that the announcement of any shortage must be handled sensitively to avoid exacerbating the problem.
"VMD’s clarification is especially timely as this is a period of peak seasonal demand for these products. We will keep our members closely informed of any further developments."
Fearne, who has been presenting live TV since she was 15 years old, has published eight books including the top 10 bestseller 'Happy', in which she talks about her own experiences of happiness and advocates raising awareness around the many ways people can build their own resilience and maintain good mental wellbeing.
Fearne has recently been appointed as a Princes Trust Goodwill Ambassador where she will be focussing on young peoples’ wellbeing and mental health.
She is also an ambassador for the charity Mind and has spoken about her wish to help stop the subject of depression being such a taboo.
Noel Fitzpatrick said: "We are absolutely thrilled that Fearne is joining us for the VETFest Conversation this year, continuing on what has become an integral and enlightening fulcrum of the wellness program of our event schedule.
"It means a great deal to myself and the organisers that all delegates who attend VET Festival have a very special and personally enriching experience - but they also feel part of a wider community of compassion too - within the industry among their peers but in a broader societal sense as well.
"With Fearne, we will explore many themes about health and well-being relevant to all of us. We hope to make you think, laugh and have a great time, and impart some wellness to take home into day to day life as well."
The VETFest Conversation is open to all delegates at VET Festival and takes place after the clinical programme on Friday 8th June at 6.00pm – 6.45pm.
You can book tickets for the event here: https://www.vetfestival.co.uk/delegate-info/ticket-information
The Crafty Vet Project aims to ignite your interest in one of a range of creative hobbies, which include cheese, beer, candle, soap and teddy-bear making, with kits available for sale from the new 'Craft Corner' section of their website. £3 from the sale of each kit will go to Vetlife.
Sarah said: "We wanted other veterinary professionals to experience the same pleasure that we get from creative hobbies. It is a chance for people no matter what day you have had to switch off, follow a pattern or instructions and come out with something at the end that you can be truly proud of."
Your new hobby might even turn into a nice sideline business. Sarah said: "One evening over a catch-up Zoe and I were discussing items that we wished we had in practice to make our lives as nurses easier.
"Despite having drunk 2 bottles of wine together we felt that there and then was the best time to start our new business. Two hours later having chopped up an old pair of curtains, accidently sewn my jumper sleeve into the material and woken my husband up at 3am to our cackles, we had the first prototype of our Slumberpet Recovery Coat.
"Our business has grown nicely since then and we are still coming up with more ideas, albeit in a slightly more sober, professional manner."
To select and order your hobby kit, visit: https://www.vnpetproducts.co.uk/craft-corner
The awards, which recognise the achievements of remarkable people from the veterinary, farming and charity industries, were hosted by TV presenter and animal lover, Matt Baker, and Chris Laurence MBE FRCVS, who was also chair of the judging panel.
Chris said: "Once again the breadth of nominations for the Welfare Awards has amazed and enthused the judging panel. The new categories this year have been well supported and widened the field of nominees as well as increasing the number of nominations. There have been some outstanding finalists and those who have won should be justifiably proud to have done so against some stiff competition. Of course, the real winners in all this are the animals whose welfare has been improved and the message that has given about the importance of animal welfare to those who have come into contact with all the nominees."
The other award winners were:
Vet Nurse of the Year Award in association with Agria Pet InsuranceRachel Wright, TOLFA
Charity Team of the Year Award in association with PDSAEbony Horse Club, Brixton
Charitable Contribution of the Year Award in association with Blue Cross Fiona Gammell, Wicklow Animal Welfare
Farmer of the Year Award in association with R.A.B.I.David Finlay, Rainton Farm, Castle Douglas
Farm Educator of the Year in association with NADISJames Griffiths from Taynton Court Farm, Gloucester
International Cat Care Welfare of the Year AwardIan MacFarlaine, chief inspector of SPCA in Bermuda
Outstanding Contribution to Animal Welfare Award in association with Your Dog and Your Cat Professor Jacky Reid, Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow and CEO of the research company, NewMetrica.
Cuneyt Seckin, managing director of Ceva Animal Health UK and Ireland said: "The vision, dedication and hard work demonstrated by each and every award winner is truly outstanding. We had a brilliant evening celebrating our remarkable winners and would like to congratulate each and every one of them on their fantastic achievement."
Photo: Chris Laurence, Adele Waters (Vet Record), Hannah Capon and Matt Baker.
Leishmaniosis is caused by the parasite Leishmania infantum, which is endemic in some areas of Europe, but not in the UK. The patient in this case had not travelled outside the UK.
In endemic areas, the infection is carried by female sand-flies and spread through sand-fly bites. Transmission has also been reported via dog bites from an infected dog and infected blood transfusions, although the RVC says these routes have not been reported in the UK before.
Dogs with Leishmaniosis display a range of signs that can take months to years to develop after initial infection. Typical signs include:
Weight loss
Lack of energy or enthusiasm
Increased thirst and increased urination
Changes to the skin (particularly around the eyes, ears and feet)
Vomiting or diarrhoea
Lameness due to joint pain
Sudden nose bleeds
Soreness around the eyes
Treatment is available for dogs with leishmaniosis, but infection is difficult to clear and long-term medication is therefore frequently needed. Leishmaniosis can be zoonotic - meaning it can be passed to people in rare situations.
Apparently there is another leishmaniosis case reported in the Veterinary Record this week, this time where the dog was suspected of contracting the disease via sand-flies unintentionally brought back in its owners' luggage following a trip to Spain.
Myles McKenna said: "It is important to take note of this first reported case of likely dog-to-dog transmission of Leishmania infantum in the UK. Historically we had considered this to be a condition affecting dogs with a travel history to areas where Leishmania infantum is endemic. Dog-to-dog transmission in non-endemic areas has previously been reported, for example in the USA, but this case serves as a reminder to UK veterinary surgeons that we must be vigilant for conditions such as Leishmania in non-travelled dogs and that alternative transmission mechanisms do exist."
The Vet Record has published four recommendations to protect dogs and humans in the UK from leishmaniosis.
Photo: Bone marrow cytology showing macrophages with numerous intracellular organisms consistent with Leishmania species amastigotes. Credit Charalampos Attipa
Sue qualified from Cambridge in 1984 and then spent time in mixed practice in Devon before taking her Certificate and then British and European Diplomas in Veterinary Dermatology.
Sue has been an RCVS and European Specialist for more than 20 years. She has recently been elected as a Fellow of the RCVS for meritorious contributions to clinical practice, is an elected member of the RCVS Council and is the Senior Vice President of the European Society of Veterinary Dermatology.
Sue is the Veterinary Director of two companies: Veterinary Dermatological Ltd, a manufacturer of a range of veterinary dermatology supplements, and Virtual Vet Derms, a veterinary telemedicine company. She has published seven text books as well as writing numerous peer reviewed articles and contributing chapters to both small animal and equine text books. She lectures extensively in Europe and America.
During her Presidency, Sue intends to consolidate everything she believes to be great about the Association. She said: "BSAVA has just completed a three-year strategic plan and my Presidency is going to be all about driving this forward. There are so many new initiatives in the pipeline I can’t wait to get started. I am looking forward to working with my dynamic teams of BSAVA officers and our amazing Woodrow House staff to show just how great BSAVA really is."
Professor Ian Ramsey becomes Vice President.
The urinary products, which are made to provide tailored nutritional solutions for cats and dogs with urinary issues, are available in both wet pouches and dry kibble.
The company simultaneously introduced a new urinary diagnostic tool: the Royal Canin Hematura Detection by Blücare.
The tool is made up of granules which are put in a cat’s litter tray and which turn blue if they detect blood in the urine. Royal Canin says it is a revolutionary diagnostic aid that will be able to prevent feline lower urinary tract disease developing any further.
John O’Connor, Corporate Affairs Director at Royal Canin, said: "We are constantly looking to evolve our offer and provide the very best in nutrition. We have simplified our ranges making it easier to navigate and choose the right product for each cat and dog, created a new premium pack design and developed our best veterinary nutritional solutions.
"It was imperative that we worked very closely with the veterinary community in making this bold transformation so we consulted with vets and vet nurses, in addition to pet owners from across the world."
At the same time as paying the fee, all veterinary surgeons must annually confirm their Register and correspondence details, declare any convictions, cautions or adverse findings and confirm they are compliant with RCVS continuing professional development (CPD) policy.
The deadline for completing the annual renewal, 1 April 2019, has now passed and all veterinary surgeons who are yet to pay their fees must do so before the end of May 2019. As of 1 June 2019, any non-payers will be removed from the Register.
If paid by 30 April 2019, the annual fee is £340 for UK-practising veterinary surgeons, £170 for veterinary surgeons practising outside the UK, and £56 for non-practising veterinary surgeons. Following this date, the fee goes up by £35 across all these groups and veterinary surgeons will have until 31 May 2019 to pay.
If the renewal fee is not received in full by 31 May 2019, then non-paying veterinary surgeons will be removed from the Register. In order to restore their name to the Register, a restoration fee of £340 will need to be paid, in addition to the appropriate retention fee. During this time they will not be able to use the postnominals MRCVS and UK-practising vets will need to cease practising.
Annual renewals can be completed online on the RCVS website and all the information needed to complete the annual renewal is in the renewal notice that has been sent to veterinary surgeons. Those who need any help or have any questions about completing their renewal and paying fees should contact the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or registration@rcvs.org.uk.
The course starts in October 2019 and lasts 12 months.
The programme is based around nine days of expert-led small group hands-on practical sessions at CPD Solutions' Training Centre near Birmingham, where participants will develop their existing dentistry skills and learn new techniques.
The company says decision-making is a key focus, as is reflective application of new skills in practice.
CPD Solutions says its PgCerts have unique benefits and differences from other options available, specifically that:
its courses have a stronger emphasis on practical training with all attendance sessions of a practical nature, and no lecture days.
its attendance days are grouped into three sessions rather than the more common monthly attendance.
its programme runs for 12 months, as opposed to many of the alternatives which run for 2-5 years.
Susie Coughlan, Managing Director at CPD Solutions, said: "Our experience is that vets get the most out of hands-on practical training in a structured and supportive environment, combined with reflective application of their new skills in practice.
"We set out to replicate this with the new PgCert in Small Animal Dentistry – all attendance sessions are practical, and the course provides support for developing reflective work-based learning that vets can then use throughout their careers. The format is in keeping with the RCVS CPD focus on outcomes based learning and critical reflective practice."
For more information, ring 0151 328 0444 or visit www.pgcertdent.com
The Puppy Contract was launched in 2012 to help prospective buyers navigate the steps leading up to the purchase of a new puppy. It includes a ten-step guide which considers things like which type of dog is most suited to a buyer’s situation and specific needs, and the questions to ask a breeder about socialisation, vaccination, microchipping and health tests.
The latest BVA Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey shows that while awareness of The Puppy Contract among companion animal vets has almost doubled since 2015 (from 29% to 56%), it is thought that no more than 2.5% of clients are actually using it.
Nevertheless, 85% of vets said using The Puppy Contract benefits and informs owners, and 20% recommend it to clients at least sometimes.
Half of the vets who were aware of The Puppy Contract said that pet owners did not come to them for advice on buying a puppy. That's a missed opportunity, both to start building a relationship with the prospective client at the earliest opportunity and to recommend the contract and thereby have a positive impact on animal welfare.
As regards the latter, it is worth noting some other BVA stats, notably that 10% of vets said they commonly saw dogs last year with health issues linked to where they were bought from, nearly a third noted brachycephalic issues or other congenital and conformation problems stemming from poor purchasing decisions and 22% saw dogs not suited to their environment.
BVA Junior Vice President and AWF Trustee Daniella Dos Santos said: "As vets, we see first-hand the tragic consequences resulting from puppies bought without proper research into breed suitability and welfare needs, the conditions they have been bred in, or vaccination and microchipping records. As a result, many of these puppies often present with disease, welfare issues and behavioural problems, leading to heartache and financial costs for the new owners.
"It’s extremely encouraging to see that more than half of companion animal vets are now aware of The Puppy Contract and recognise its immense benefits. But with many pet owners still not aware that their vet can be an invaluable first stop for advice on the right pet for them, it’s important that we promote pre-purchase consultations to ensure prospective owners make an informed choice and get a healthy, happy and well-socialised pet from a responsible breeder."
AWF Chair of Trustees Chris Laurence said: "We believe that every dog should be born with the best possible chance of living a healthy and happy life, which is why we created The Puppy Contract as a free tool to empower puppy buyers to make an informed decision when buying a puppy. As trusted experts, vets are in a unique position to use their influence to encourage clients to use The Puppy Contract, whether they are breeding dogs or looking for a new best friend to join the family."
For more information and to download the Puppy Contract, see: https://puppycontract.org.uk/
You can download and display AWF’s Puppy Contract poster in your practice: www.animalwelfarefoundation.org.uk/puppy-contract.